Johnny's funeral had been planned quickly, and on the morning of his memorial, the funeral home was filled to the brim with friends and family. Misty's sisters came to support them. A tight circle had formed around them. The service itself was brief, but the words were well put and all those who had known and loved Johnny felt it was done to the best of him. After the service, Ash and Misty dared to take one last look at Johnny before the burial at the Viridian Cemetery. The Ketchams had a family plot there, and four generations before Ash were buried there. This day, both Johnny and Alan were to be laid to rest. Ash's chest was filled with sorrow looking at his deceased son, and hate for his dead father. Misty touched Johnny's face, and leaned in to whisper something to him. Ash's eyes misted over. He saw Gary Oak, his longtime rival, and unfortunate half-brother, standing near the coffin. He held a small envelope and a single white rose. Gary looked at him, offering the envelope and his hand. Ash shook it. "I'm sorry, Ash," Gary said, sounding as sincere as Ash had ever heard him speak. Gary tended to speak mostly tongue-in-cheek. "It's awful, tragic," he continued. "My nephew." He sighed, placing the rose in an arrangement near the casket. He offered some words to Misty, and kissed her on the cheek. Misty looked shocked from underneath her black veil. As he passed Ash, he whispered, "If Misty had married me, this wouldn't have happened." He smiled at his own amusement.
Ash grabbed him roughly by the back of the neck. "What did you say," he growled.
"Nothing you already didn't know," Gary shot back, unfazed by Ash's assault. Ash squeezed Gary's throat tightly, screaming incoherently. Misty rushed to him, trying to pull his hands away from Gary.
"Ash, stop," she cried. "What did he say?" Ash suddenly released Gary, who stumbled out of the funeral home. Ash collapsed into Misty's arms, crying hysterically. She tried to soothe him. The crowd that formed dispersed, and Ash calmed down slightly. All his anger about Johnny's death, his good-for-nothing father, Gary's existence, his own goddamned futility boiled over and created the ugly beast he'd just displayed. He felt eighty years old and two years old all at once. Everything was beyond his control now, but he wasn't naive enough to ignore it, or not know any better. He knew he was useless.
At the cemetery, only the family and Brock, joined by a priest, laid Johnny and Ace to rest forever. The priest gave a few words, but otherwise, they were silent. Ash leaned against Misty, who was holding Rosy's hand tightly. Derek's hand was resting on his sister's shoulder. Brock stood with his hands folded. Delia's head was bowed with her hands under her chin. They watched the coffins go into the earth, and turned to leave.
Ash grabbed him roughly by the back of the neck. "What did you say," he growled.
"Nothing you already didn't know," Gary shot back, unfazed by Ash's assault. Ash squeezed Gary's throat tightly, screaming incoherently. Misty rushed to him, trying to pull his hands away from Gary.
"Ash, stop," she cried. "What did he say?" Ash suddenly released Gary, who stumbled out of the funeral home. Ash collapsed into Misty's arms, crying hysterically. She tried to soothe him. The crowd that formed dispersed, and Ash calmed down slightly. All his anger about Johnny's death, his good-for-nothing father, Gary's existence, his own goddamned futility boiled over and created the ugly beast he'd just displayed. He felt eighty years old and two years old all at once. Everything was beyond his control now, but he wasn't naive enough to ignore it, or not know any better. He knew he was useless.
At the cemetery, only the family and Brock, joined by a priest, laid Johnny and Ace to rest forever. The priest gave a few words, but otherwise, they were silent. Ash leaned against Misty, who was holding Rosy's hand tightly. Derek's hand was resting on his sister's shoulder. Brock stood with his hands folded. Delia's head was bowed with her hands under her chin. They watched the coffins go into the earth, and turned to leave.